Over the week-end, the Washington Post published the first two parts in a four-part special report describing how improvised explosive devices, commonly referred to by their acronym, IEDs, emerged as the dominant enemy weapon in Iraq, and how the Pentagon managed various initiatives to find countermeasures.

The report’s title, "Left of Boom," refers to attempts to avoid or neutralize IEDs before they are detonated (the “boom”).

The Post notes in its introduction that ”the series is drawn from more than 140 interviews over the past six months with military and congressional officials, contractors, scientists and defense analysts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Washington and elsewhere. (…/…) Ten senior officers or retired officers, each of them intimately involved in the effort to combat IEDs, were asked to review the findings for accuracy and security considerations.”

This is the first broad overview of the IED’s use in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as such offers insights that do not stand out in more focused reports. It also includes illustrations, timelines and videos. Highly recommended - Ed.

Click here for the report’s home page, on the Washington Post website.